Radio opaque gloves

ABSTRACT

Radiation shielding garments and accessories, such as radioopaque gloves for surgeons, shielding against the harmful x-ray radiation in a fluoroscopic zone are advantageously different from garments for shielding from other medical uses of x-rays. Such garments are provided with zones of differing opacity, whereby desired sensitivity and &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;feel&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; through the glove material is retained. One feature is the provision of an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;opacity gradient&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; across the glove cross section with opacity being relatively low at the fingertip area (lesser shieldthickness), but relatively high at the less nonprehensile hand zones, such as the palm. Glove fabrication techniques for achieving such an opacity gradient are described.

United States Patent [191 Whittaker et a1.

[451 May 13,1975

[ RADIO OPAQUE GLOVES [73] Assignee: Arco Nuclear Company, Leechburg,Pa.

[22] Filed: Aug. 15, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 280,909

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1962 Belknap et al.250/108 FS 3/1966 Weinberger 250/108 FS 3,569,713 3/1971 Via, Jr.250/108 FS Primary Examiner-Archie R. Borchelt Attorney, Agent, orFirm,lohn R. Ewbank 57 ABSTRACT Radiation shielding garments andaccessories, such as radio-opaque gloves for surgeons, shielding againstthe harmful x-ray radiation in a fluoroscopic zone are advantageouslydifferent from garments for shielding from other medical uses of x-rays.Such garments are provided with zones of differing opacity, wherebydesired sensitivity and feel through the glove material is retained. Onefeature is the provision of an opacity gradient across the glove crosssection with opacity being relatively low at thefingertip area (lessershieldthickness), but relatively high at the less nonprehensile handzones, such as the palm. Glove fabrication techniques for achieving suchan opacity gradient are described.

'2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures IITEIITEIT II I 3', 883 749 SHEET 10F 2 ASA FUNCTION OF ENERGY CROSS-SECTION BARNS/ATOM FIGURE 3 ENERGY- keV IDOSE RATE SPECTRA 2 DOSE RATE 8 (RELATIVE SCALE) 6 FIGURE 2 0 ,20 4o 6080 I00 I20 0 ENERGY-kev X-RAY INTENSITY SPECTRA PHOTON INTENSITY(RELATIVE SCALE) FIGURE I I0 I 1 I00 ENERGY- keV PATENTEUHAY 1 aims 3,888 ,749

SHEEI '2 or 2 FIGURE 6 ELASTOMER Pbo FILLED ELASTOMER FIGURE 7 ASTOMERFIGURE 9 1 RADIO OPAQUE GLOVES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofInvention This invention relates to garments protecting the wearer fromx-rays.

2. Prior Art Physicians, x-ray technicians, and others who work inradiation environments are customarily confronted with problems ofshielding body members from damaging radiaiton flux, while stillproviding sufficient freedom of body movement to perform necessary taskswhile wearing shield-garments. This is a principal problem dealt with bythe present invention.

For instance, surgeons who implant and maniuplate heart pacers, andsimilar devices, in the human body commonly project an x-ray fluxthrough involved bodily regions to derive a radiation-image (e.g.,.asdetected on a fluoroscope) helpingthem to position and adjust theimplanted device. Previous shielding garments have generally beendesigned to deal with the hazards of a significant variety of medicaluses of x-rays instead of being concerned only with the problems uniqueto fluoroscopy.

Physicians have been offered gloves and mittens made of elastomercontaining lead type fillers and having thicknesses such as 30 or 65mils, and such great thickness and weight has restricted their utility.Such garments have been widely used; but because of their awkwardness,bare hands have often been inserted into a fluoroscopic zone.

High atomic number materials such as lead are preferred for radiationshielding (e.g., see: Reactor Shielding Design Manual, McMillan andCompany, London; and Alpha-, Betaand Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy by K.Sieghahn, North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam 1968, Vol. I; andFundamentals of Modern Physics, R. M. Eisberg, Wiley & Sons, New York,1964).-

SUM MARY OF INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, garmentsproviding useful protection from the x-rays in a fluoroscopic situationfeature smaller amounts of screening agent than in conventionalprotective garments. The screening agent concentration is maintainedwithin the range from per cent to 45 per cent and the film thickness ismaintained within the range from 5 to 25 mils, whereby the garments aresatisfactorily comfortable while still providing worthwhile protectionfrom x-rays in fluoroscopic situations. Zones of varying x-ray opacityare incorporated in a fluoroscopic protective garment such as a glove toprovide garments providing reasonable shielding from fluoroscopichazards without excessively troublesome restraints upon bodilyfunctions. A method features steps for fabricating an elastic surgicalglove to attain different thicknesses of x-ray shielding elastomer atselected zones by reliance upon gravitational forces to impart greaterthickness (and thus a greater amount of x-ray screening agents) in thezones in which relatively greater protection is desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic presentation ofa pair of curves depicting a typical energy spectrum for x-radiation ofsignificance in the fluoroscopic zone after passage through a humanbody.

FIG. 2 is a plot of dose rate for the fluoroscopic situation vsx-radiation energy in the context of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3- is a plot of photoelectric absorbtion crosssection for twoshielding materials as a function of the energy involved in fluoroscopicx-radiation.

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are side, front, and end views of an elastic glove.FIG. 7 is a schematic showing of the propensity of the thickness of acoating of a viscous composition to be influenced by gravitationalforces.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view schematically showing w'rist portions whichare at least 25 per cent thicker than fingertip portions of the glove,the thinner portions being not more than 10 mils thick wherebysensitivity through the fingertip portions is preserved.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing a thin elastomeric filmhaving inner and outer unloaded layers and an internal layer containinga lead oxide screening agent.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION The medically utilized x-rays embrace awide range of energies, sometimes expressed as a range from about I to4,000 Kev. The penetrating effects are significantly greater at thehigher energies. Much of the effort concerned with screening has been toachieve measureable effectiveness in the upper ranges of energy of thexrays. Technologists have generally appreciated that the shieldinggarment was going to be less than 100 per cent effective, but stress hasbeen placed upon relative high efficiencies at relatively high energylevels. There has been a propensity to ignore the possibility ofproviding'moderate degrees of protection.

' Significant portions of the work with fluoroscopes employs x-raysystems having a range below about 100 Kev. In FIG. 1, the energydistribution for the 10-100 Kev range is schematically represented bythe area below line l-A, the coordinates being on a log-log basis. FIG.1, line l-A, is a schematic showing that there is a greater photonintensity, relatively speaking, for the x-rays of lower energies thanfor the x-rays of high energy. A human body absorbs x-rays in a'mannersomewhat similar to a body of water about 8 to 10 inches thick. Allx-rays having an energy of less than about 10 Kev and smallerproportions of the rays having an energy less than 20 Kev are thusabsorbed in passage through the body. In a fluoroscopic zone between thebody and the fluoroscope screen, the energy distribution isschematically represented by the area below the curve identified as 1-8of FIG. 1. Particular attention is directed to the fact that in thisfluoroscopic zone, the significant energy spectrum is from about 10 toabout 40 Kev, such range being identified by a.

Data relating to dose rate spectra are schematically represented in FIG.2, in which the area below curve 2-A corresponds to the dosage receivedby a hand in a fluoroscopic zone after the x-rays have passed through athick zone of a living body. In the range from about 10 to about 40 Kev,there is a significantly larger area under curve Z-A than in the areabelow said curve at about 40 to about 100 Kev. The x-ray dosage rate inthe fluoroscopic zone is thus significantly concentrated in the 10 to 40Kev range. Although x-rays of the to Kev range are more penetrating thanthose of the 10 to 40 Kev range, they are of less significance to thosedealing with fluoroscopy than the higher energy waves because of therelative dosage phenomena. In some applications of medical x-rays, theimportance of protecting the body from such high energy x-rays is quitesignificant.

For versatility of use, previous shielding garments have generally beendesigned to approach as nearly as feasible in a flexible garment, thetype of shielding accomplished by the large lead shields employed instationary structures. In accordance with the present invention,shielding garments designed particularly for persons employing x-raysfor fluoroscopy feature the combination of thin film and a relativelysmall amount of x-ray screening agent. Although elements such as leadand uranium provide some absorption of x-rays throughout the entireenergy spectrum, there are resonant absorptions of x-rays within certainranges of energy, whereby either lead or uranium is remarkably effectiveas a screening agent in the range of particular significance influoroscopy. This phenomena is shown by the area beneath curve 2-B ofFIG. 2, representing the dosage rate for a person protected by anelastomer containing about 10 per cent by weight of lead (correspondingapproximately to about 11 per cent by weight of lead oxide) in anelastomer having a thickness of about 10 mils. In the critical rangefrom about 10 to about 40 Kev, this small amount of shielding iseffective in reducing the area under the curve 2-B to an extent which isof significance. The protective value of a shielding garment iscontrolled by its effectiveness in reducing the dosage rate. Becauseprevious designers of protective garments have stressed the versatilityin protecting from high energy x-rays often encountered in medicalx-rays, the usefulness of small amounts of shielding from fluoroscopichazards has been generally ignored. By the use of a concentration oflead or uranium which is more than 10 per cent, but still less than the45 per cent, an acceptable effectiveness within the fluoroscopicallysignificant range from 10 to 40 Kev is accomplished. Previous screeninggarments have conventionally used more than 50 per cent screening agent.However, by keeping the concentration of the screening agent below about45 per cent by weight of the loaded film, significantly better garmentcharacteristics are achieved by the present invention. Of particularimportance, the emphasis upon the fluoroscopic use of the shieldinggarment justifies the provision of significantly thinner films of thepigmented film. The shielded garments of the present invention haveadvantages attributable significantly to a thinness within the rangefrom about mils to about 25 mils.

As shown in curve 3-Pb of FIG. 3, the photoelectric cross section oflead as a function of the energy of the x-rays within a range from aboutto about 1 IO Kev shows that throughout a wide range from about .20 toabout 90 Kev, the lead functions in a manner which would be expectedfrom a high atomic number. However, in the critically important rangefrom about 10 to about Kev, lead exhibits a resonant type of absorptionof photoelectric energy. Thus, the photoelectric cross section of eachlead atoms is larger in this range than might be expected if suchresonant absorption were not involved.

Similarly and as represented schematically in curve 3-U of FIG. 3, thephotoelectric cross section of uranium benefits from resonanceabsorption, so that uranium has commendable effectiveness in a rangepeaking at about 24 Kev and embracing a range such as up to about 35Kev. It should be particularly noted that a mixture of lead compoundsand depleted uranium dioxide permits some resonance absorptionthroughout much of the 10 to 40 Kev range of particular significance tofluoroscopy.

Although either depleted titanium dioxide or lead oxide has someadvantages as an x-ray screening agent for fluoroscopy, it is sometimesappropriate to use an approximately equal weight mixture of the twoscreening agents, as featured in some embodiments of the invention. Theresonant absorption of the two atoms isat different portions of thefluoroscopy significant spectrum of the x-ray spectrum. Although suchgarments might be of a relatively little value in connection with thetaking of x-ray pictures and/or the use of x-rays in therapy and/orcertain other medical applications of x-rays, such shielding garmentscan have a significant reduction of hazards in connection withfluoroscopy, by reason of the significant efficiency of their absorptionwithin the 10 to 40 Kev range.

The shielding garments of the present invention are constructed of filmshaving an average thickness of from about 5 to about 25 mils, andcontaining more than 10 per cent but less than about 45 per cent of thescreening agent. In certain embodiments, the invention is employed tofashion an improved version of a surgical glove, made of a flexibleelastomer containing a high density filler adapted to be relativelyopaque to moderate-energy X-radiation and thereby shield a surgeons handfrom harmful radiation effects. Such a glove is suitable for use withx-ray fluoroscopic monitoring equipment used for implant surgery.Surgical gloves can be fabricated of thin rubber, polyurethane,neoprene, or other organic polymer having strength as a thin sheet. Suchgloves are usually available in small, medium, and large sizes. Theaccomodation to hands of various sizes is sometimes enhanced by thestretchiness of the gloves attributable to choosing an elastomer forfilm formation.

The surgeon is typically dealing with a patient lying upon an operatingtable with his thoracic cavity opened and exposed for delicate, probingmanipulations of the surgeons fingers. In such a situation, the surgeonrelies upon the fluoroscopic view of his fingers and instruments inmonitoring the location and condition of instruments and body members. Aprescribed source directs x-rays from beneath the patient on theoperating table, passing beyond and above to activate a responsivephosphor screen for viewing by the surgeon. The surgeon will beunderstood as interjection his hands into the photon flux passingbetween the patient and the fluoroscopic screen as he works.

It will be assumed that the cumulative attenuation effected by thetable, air space and patients body approximates about 8 inches of waterand that the flux energy in the zone in which the surgeons hands areplaced differs from the initial output of the x-ray unit. This will cutoff radiation flux below about the 10 Kev level. The area below curvel-B of FIG. 1 and below curve 2-A of FIG. 2 are schematicrepresentations pertinent to such zone.

The general appearance of a surgical glove of the present invention hassome resemblance to surgical gloves of the prior art. As shown in FIGS.4, S, and 6,

a fingertip portion 11 is thinner than a palm portion l2,

which is thinner than a heel portion 13 at the opening of the glove. Asshown in FIG. 7, a mandrel 21 having an approximately vertical side maybe coated with a film of viscous gel 22, and the film 22 can drain. The

gravitational forces upon the creeping viscous film cause the thicknessof the film to be thinner at an upper zone 23 than at a lower zone 24.

Useful data were obtained from experimental tests with lead loadedpolyurethane films. An elastomeric polyurethane matrix (glove material)was homogeneously dispersed throughout a DMA (dimethylacetamide) solventto permit production of thin films of polyurethane elastomer. Filmshaving controlled opacity to x-rays were prepared by modifying theprocedure by including controlled amounts of lead dioxide (conveniently)designated by the generic term, lead oxide) filler in the liquidcomposition employed in the first of the series of steps of dipping,draining, and drying to provide an uncured film on a plate glass form.Cured films containing various concentrations of lead oxide (PbO weretested to measure the absorption of the 1-100 Kev energy range x-rays.The test results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Absorption vs. PbO

"/1 Absorption A surgical glove is fabricated of polyurethane containingenough lead oxide opaquing filler to screen out a moderate portion ofthe fluoroscopically significant x-radiation. A series of steps areinvolved in the total process of glove production.

1. Dispersion of Elastomer: A mixture of about per cent by weight ofTexin 480A brand of polyurethane (linear polymer of polyester andaromatic diisocyante with controlled cross-linking) and about 85 percent of a suitable solvent such as DMA (dimethylacetamide) is a smoothworkable mass of moderate viscosity suitable for production ofpolyurethane films by dipping techniques. Part of thispolyurethane-solvent mixture is set aside for use in preparing theunfilled coatings, and a major portion is employed in formulating thecomposition in which the filler is dispersed.

2. Filler Mixed-In: Lead oxide powder (available as L 67 from FisherScientific Company and having a purity of about 95.8 per cent and havinga relatively uniform particle diameter in the sub-micron range, and adensity of 9.37 g/cc) is uniformly mixed into said dispersion ofpolyurethane in DMA by agitation with a mechanical mixer.

3. Seal-dip: An appropriate ceramic mold or form for a hand is arrangedto be dip-coated by immersion in the pristine (unfilled) urethane andcompletely, uniformly coated therewith to a suitable initial depth as aninner seal layer. The former is then withdrawn, drained, and thiscoating dried (solvent evaporated) until it is suitable for subsequentdippings. The dipping time is about 15 seconds and the withdrawal timeis about 30 seconds. The dipped form is inverted so that fingers arepointed upwardly and permitted to drain over the dipping bath for aperiod from about 5 minutes to about l0 minutes. The dipped and drainedform is transferred to a drying zone in which the form rotates about ahorizontal axis desirably in a stream of warm air for a period such asabout 30 minutes. A period of about 40 minutes is involved in thesuccessive steps of dipping,

withdrawing, draining, drying, and related operations for producing eachlayer of uncured film, and appropriate variations in the duration ofeach sub-procedure may be convenient. The average thickness of eachlayer (from each dipping) is described in terms of the thicknessincrease (or incremental thickness) of the cured glove. The film of gelapplied in a dipping step comprises about 6 times as much DMA solvent aselastomer and hence has a thickness greater than the incrementalthickness of the cured glove attributable to such dipping step. Theaverage thickness of the pristine urethane inner seal is about 1 to 2mils.

Particular attention is directed to a feature of achieving zones ofdiffering thickness of film at different zones of the glove. Theinitially dipped form has a coating thickness influenced by factors suchas viscosity of the solution, drainage time, and complexity of the form.The viscous solution can flow slowly under gravitational forces duringthe draining period. While gravitational creeping of portions of thedipped coating are possible, its alignment with respect to thegravitational field in important. Glove forms are conventionally dippedwith fingers down. Uniformly thick gloves may be prepared by drainingforms with suitable inversion steps, such as by inverting the form tohave the fingertips in an upward direction during the even minutes ofdraining, and with the fingertips downwardly directed during the oddminutes of the draining.

in accordance with preferred methods of the present invention, the formis drained with the fingers upwardly directed, whereby the glove has awrist portion significantly thicker than the fingertip portion. Thespeed with which the viscous composition gravitationally creeps downwardto provide thicker films at the wrist balances with the removal ofexcess solution during drainage in such a manner that the advantageouslydifferent thickness zones are conveniently achieved.

Although the effects of differences in glove thickness by alignment ofthe form during drainage are conveniently described in connection withthe step of preparing an unloaded layer, it should be appreciated thatthe intentional use of drainage in the inverted (fingers upwardly)position is important primarily in preparing layers comprising leadscreening agent.

4. Dip-forming Protective Layers: After the initial coating hasadequately dried, the form is dipped in the dispersion of lead oxidecontaining urethane in DMA composition. Because of the higherviscosity'attributable to the PbO filler, each coating increases theglove thickness by an average of from about 3 mils to about 5 mils.Increasing DMA concentration above per cent to decrease viscosity topermit thinner coatings is sometimes advantageous. Several steps offorming PbO containing layers are sometimes desirable.

5. Outer-seal: An outer-seal layer is dip-coated by, essentially.repeating Step No. 3 to provide an outer, non-filled coating of urethaneof desired thickness. The inner and outer seal coatings are usuallydesirable to decrease the likelihood of attrition loss of lead oxide.

ln steps 3, 4, and 5 the variations in the thickness of the final gloveare controlled to achieve a combination of comfortable thinnessat thefingertips and increased protection at the opening portion (convenientlycalled The thickness of the fingertips is desirably from 20 to about 80per cent of that of the heel portion of the glove, but because thethinness of the fingertips is primarily to permit the user to haveadequate sensitivity of feeling through the glove, it should be stressedthat desired sensitivity is ordinarily not attainable above a thicknessof about 10 mils. Certain embodiments of the invention feature leadloaded surgical gloves having fingertips thinner than 10 mils and heelportions more than 25 per cent thicker than such fingertip portions.Various modifications of fabrication methods are possible while stillattaining an embodiment featuring said combination.

6. Curing: After the outer seal layer has been dried, the mandrel istransferred to a forced air oven, and the glove is cured at 50C. forfrom about 16 to about 24 hours. a

7. Removal: The cured glove is removed from its form, which is then usedin making other gloves by the previous steps.

8. Trimming: The opening of the glove may require finishing operationssuch as trimming.

The glove is an elastic surgical glove having advantageous sensitivityat the fingertips and advantageous resistance to tearing at the openingat the heel. The fingertip thickness is 7.2 mils, and the mid-portion('e.g., palm) is 10.0 mils thick, and the wrist'portion is 14.5 milsthick. The amount of flesh to be protected in various zones of the handcorresponds approximately to the varying thickness of glove, thusproviding a further advantage for the glove and/or its method ofproduction.

Depleted uranium dioxide previously processed for the removal of costlyisotopes has effectiveness in screening 'x-rays of the fluoroscopicallysignificant range, and resembles lead oxide in several respects. Only inrecent years has such depleted uranium oxide been available at a costsuitable for competition with lead oxide as a screening agent inelastomeric garments. As noted in FIG. 3, the portion of the spectrum inwhich uranium oxide has the advantage of resonant absorption isdifferent from that of lead oxide. A mix ture, such as an equal weightmixture, of uranium oxide cal glove to achieve various unique advantagesof greater significance than the difference in cost of the uraniumoxide. VARIATIONS IN PRODUCTION METHODS Thin'garments of polymerscontaining x-ray screening pigments are conventionally prepared byvarious modifications of the general multi-dip method previouslydescribed. However, any of'the production methods appropriate forachieving the end product (a thin garment having a thickness in the to25 mil range, and containing from per cent to 45 per centby weight ofscreening agent of the class consisting of lead oxide, depleted uraniumdioxide, and mixtures thereof) as a protective garment for use influoroscopic systems are suitable. calendering, molding, fluidizedcoating, and

chloride or polyethylene are suitable in the fabrication of othershielding garments useful in fluoroscopic systems. Aprons, gauntlets,and helmets are an incomplete list of other garments benefiting from theadvantageous forward advance of the present invention.

Other modifications of the invention are possible without departing fromthe scope of the appended claims.

and lead oxide can be employed as the filler for a surgi- The inventionclaimed is: 1. A glove protecting the wearer from a significant portionof the radiation hazards of fluoroscopic systems consisting of thinpolymeric films having inner and outer unloaded layers and an internallayer containing a screening agent of the class consisting of depleteduranium dioxide, lead oxide, and mixtures thereof, said film containingfrom 10 per cent to 45 per cent by weight of said screening agent, andsaid film having an average thickness within the range from 5 mils to 25mils, various portions of the film being at least 25 per cent thickerthan other portions to provide greater protection from radiation at suchthicker portions, the

thinner portions being not more than 10 mils thick, whereby sensitivitythrough such thin portion is 'preserved, such thinner portions being atthe fingertip portion of the glove whereby tactile sensitivity throughthe fingertip is enhanced to permit a surgeon toemploy such gloveswithin a fluoroscopic radiation zone.

2. A method of preparing a fluoroscopic protective glove which includesthe step of dipping a form into a dispersion comprising polymer in asolvent, withdrawing the coated form, draining the form with upwardlydirected finger portions to gravitationally impart greater thickness atthe heel portion of the glove than at the fingertip portions, dryingsuch coating, repeating dipping, draining and drying steps, the innerand outer layers being unloaded and the middle layers containing from 10per cent to 45 per cent by weight lead oxide as a screening agent, heatcuring the glove, and removing the glove from said form,'the averagethickness of the glove being within the range from 5 mils to 25 mils,

glove whereby tactile sensitivity through the fingertip v is enhanced topermit a surgeon to employ such gloves within fluoroscopic radiationzone.

1. A GLOVE PROTECTING THE WEARER FROM A SIGNIFACTANT PORTION OF THERADIATION HAZARDS OF FLUOROSCOPIC SYSTEMS CONSISTING OF THIN POLYMERICFILMS HAVING INNER AND OUTER UNLOADED LAYERS AND AN INTERNAL LAYERCONTAINING A SCREENING AGENT OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OF DEPLETED URANIUMDIOXIDE, LEAD OXIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID FILM CONTAINING FROM 10PER CENT TO 45 PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF SAID SCREENING AGENT, AND SAID FILMHAVING AN AVERAGE THICKNESS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 5 MILS TO 25 MILS,VARIOUS PORTIONS OF THE FILM BEING AT LEAST 25 PER CENT THICKER
 2. Amethod of preparing a fluoroscopic protective glove which includes thestep of dipping a form into a dispersion comprising polymer in asolvent, withdrawing the coated form, draining the form with upwardlydirected finger portions to gravitationally impart greater thickness atthe heel portion of the glove than at the fingertip portions, dryingsuch coating, repeating dipping, draining and drying steps, the innerand outer layers being unloaded and the middle layers containing from 10per cent to 45 per cent by weight lead oxide as a screening agent, heatcuring the glove, and removing the glove from said form, the averagethickness of the glove Being within the range from 5 mils to 25 mils,various portions of the film being at least 25 per cent thicker thanother portions to provide greater protection from radiation at suchthicker portions, the thinner portions being not more than 10 milsthick, whereby sensitivity through such thin portion is preserved, suchthinner portions being at the fingertip portion of the glove wherebytactile sensitivity through the fingertip is enhanced to permit asurgeon to employ such gloves within fluoroscopic radiation zone.